Well stated sir. You've given the one honest and sober argument for the hopefully still rational who waiver precariously purchased on the fence of indecision. For those who are a part of Romney's forty-seven percent $2.3K is not kleingeld.

Dear Sir, very much appreciate your comment, but I did not take sides in the political games ongoing, nor is the subject appropriate here.

Going back to the economics of the Hugo, we should consider that the American market once was the driving force behind the high end. That the younger set, on the go, want a piece of that high end, it is portable audio that makes it possibile to obtain. Today people spend much of their lives on the net, at the desk, so a desktop and portable system fits our lifestyle.

I remember days of sitting in darkened rooms in front of gargantuan speakers with a glass of wine in the right hand, a woman in the left, listening to music. Those days are gone, the wine is still here.

There is still a market for the large home system, in fact today we see many more companies making products for that market. However I don't see it as a growing segment in the American market that invented, elevated and grew what we know as high end audio. I can't say whether or not this is a permanent reality, or whether the American slide Backward, rather than FORWARD is permanent. I can say that some parts of the world had caught up with America and the American Dream. And I can't say whether or not their catching up will be permanent.

I believe HUGO will save a lot of new comers a lot of money, but sadly most people who are new in this hobby will not dare to look at HUGO for what it cost. Funny enough HUGO is truly the so called the one tool that fix'em all.

Provided they have something to use as a source. Otherwise they have to get another tool. ;-)

Hmmm, maybe I'm a touch more cynical than you Amos, but I've always considered Apples decision to lock everything down and keep all connections proprietary, to be a mostly financial one. It keeps customers in the Apple ecosystem and guarantees the sale of far more accessories.

Dear Sir, very much appreciate your comment, but I did not take sides in the political games ongoing. In that non-context, Mitt Romney had nothing to do with the wiping out of the American middle class at all. However, he had a great deal to do with creating hundreds of thousands of jobs for people aspiring to the middle class. Moreover, if I recall correctly, and excuse me if my memory is faulty, but one Barack Hussein Obama has been president of these dis-United States for the last five years, and perhaps you will consider assigning blame for so many Americans for whom a Hugo has become unaffordable to the latter man, rather than the former. You see Sir, the very same rules of economics apply to business and to government, the same rules that govern supply and demand, valuation I proposed earlier here, and honorable conduct to secure the future (meaning one will not lie - ever): business experience.

One man has gobs of it, as well as competence, the other has none of it, and it is the latter man who is running this country.

Going back to the economics of the Hugo, we should consider that the American market once was the driving force behind the high end. That the younger set, on the go, want a piece of that high end, it is portable audio that makes it possibile to obtain. Today people spend much of their lives on the net, at the desk, so a desktop and portable system fits our lifestyle.

I remember days of sitting in darkened rooms in front of gargantuan speakers with a glass of wine in the right hand, a woman in the left, listening to music. Those days are gone, the wine is still here.

There is still a market for the large home system, in fact today we see many more companies making products for that market. However I don't see it as a growing segment in the American market that invented, elevated and grew what we know as high end audio. I can't say whether or not this is a permanent reality, or whether the American slide Backward, rather than FORWARD is permanent. I can say that some parts of the world had caught up with America and the American Dream. And I can't say whether or not their catching up will be permanent.

Again, thank you.

Your welcome sir. If my post in any small way helped you to generate your very thoughtful and well stated position I am truly humbled.

I know the part about FLAC compressing to a degree still but was under the impression (most probably marketing spill) that there was no loss to hearing it in theory.

I must be hearing it is all I can say. I only went to FLAC to save a bit of space on the Sony ZX1 Walkman and WAV was not tagging properly with album art like previous Walkman's I had so seemed an obvious way forwards.

Still sounds okay in FLAC but there is a definite difference in a WAV file sound to FLAC and have to say WAV is more a realistic tonal qualities to it's sound presentation which is only more apparent now it is heard on a Hugo to me.

Am I correct that your comments are based upon comparing the same file ripped to WAV vs FLAC?

OMG, I do politics 6 days a week while at work. This is not the place for that , I come here to get away from that detritus. Can we please get back on topic.

Hugo sound-check... here's a great new talent from the UK, I have a funny feeling this guy will be massive in the years to come... I pre-ordered his debut album on Amazon, I ain't done that in a absolute age.

i respectfully disagree its 2500 bucks usd . how can this be a game changer. to be whats changing is how much we are willing to pay for these products. the ak240 may or may not sound better as i have not hard one but it is a complete product as its dap.
al

One can look at the product from contrarian viewpoints. The AK is complete. The HUGO is a serious contender among the creme de la creme of DACs, and as I stated earlier, size has nothing to do with it because modern surface mount technology allows the development of small computers - and that is what a DAC is, a computer. The AK cannot meet the last requirement, being a top notch DAC, but one will wind up with a truly high end system for the road. They are disparate products meeting different purposes. I use my Chord mostly as a desktop. I listen to music enough at home not to need it as a portable. If I traveled, and I do travel internationally often, I would prefer the AK for that purpose - including its much higher storage capacity. Sonically no DAC using common DAC chips can compare with the Hugo. That's just my opinion and that is why I won't buy the AK.

One can look at the product from contrarian viewpoints. The AK is complete. The HUGO is a serious contender among the creme de la creme of DACs, and as I stated earlier, size has nothing to do with it because modern surface mount technology allows the development of small computers - and that is what a DAC is, a computer. The AK cannot meet the last requirement, being a top notch DAC, but one will wind up with a truly high end system for the road. They are disparate products meeting different purposes. I use my Chord mostly as a desktop. I listen to music enough at home not to need it as a portable. It I traveled, and I do travel internationally often, I would prefer the AK for that purpose - including its much higher storage capacity. Sonically no DAC using common DAC chips can compare with the Hugo. That's just my opinion and that is why I won't buy the AK.

Agree about having a great small system for travel, which I do often. But in my case I couldn't imagine using the AK, ever. I don't ever listen to music on the actual physical move, but in static positions only. Also the AK could never fulfill my storage needs. So external hard drives are a necessity, especially for my vast promo video collection. The Hugo fits my needs entirely with a portable PC/cans.

Guess it's all about the individual needs of each, that's what I love about having choices.

Here is a thought not sure if it possible . I have a surface pro if imusenthem Hugo directly to,it. And use j river .
Can I use j remote to control it. Now at home or office this is easy. But what about if I am walking around . Is thus possible .
Al

Guys, the constant comparisons just dont do it for me - I dont give a hoot how the Hugo compares with other DACs or high-end DAPs or a pro component like the Dangerous Source - all I care about is that I can plug this thing into one of my computers and get the excellent results I'm achieving thus far. I appreciate that some are still mulling over their purchase decision but it would seem that the vast majority in this thread already own the Hugo - lets enjoy the thing and forget what the 'other guys' gear costs, OK ? Chord have their own marketing approach and some killer magazine reviews already - they dont need Head-Fi to sell this thing. Even with that sticker, I'd be surprised if dealers can get enough of these to meet demand.

If I can get back to the device itself, it would seem that no cable company makes an audiophile-grade USB cable terminated in the micro connection that Chord in their infinite wisdom selected for the Hugo - happy to hear from anyone who has located one. The adapter solution just isnt cutting it for me with my Furutech cable but if someone can link me to a decent adapter for sale online I would be much obliged. Also keen to know where I can get a female-USB-to-micro cable for use with my NWZ-ZX1 and the Hugo - per the photo posted here a few pages back.

Here is a thought not sure if it possible . I have a surface pro if imusenthem Hugo directly to,it. And use j river .
Can I use j remote to control it. Now at home or office this is easy. But what about if I am walking around . Is thus possible .
Al

What's a Hugo?

Seriously, Jremote is an IOS app, so no, Al, you can't run jremote on a surface pro. Why not just JRiver GUI via remote desktop?